Chapter 4
What was that bug? Joan had never seen anything like it. She looked it up in her dad's insect book but couldn't find it in there. She wondered what it could do, whether it could bite… or sting… then she wondered whether it was dangerous, or if it was annoying… was it considered a pest?
Was Fluffers really the furball? Was it as cute as it looked, or was it secretly fierce? Joan pitied the creature if that was the case; he would always be underestimated.
How long would the teapot hop? Was it trying to say something? How did wizards make tea if the pot wouldn't stay still? Or would it, if a wizard tried to use it? Or, was it actually something else, in disguise as a teapot?
Was that bug actually dangerous, and that's why the teapot was trying to catch it? Seemed unlikely, it sounded more like it was a malfunctioning teapot, that's all. That's all?
Did that clock really work, and did it not work for Muffles (what did the talking posters call her again?), or did it work for everyone if one could make the clock? It looked really hard to make… Probably, she thought, as Joan didn't envy her grandmother or her uncle, who ran a clock shop. The size of that book… Plus, it looked like Jacop had to tinker a lot with some of the hands; a few were scratched, scorched, cracked, and the lines of wood on one just seemed impossible to have ever connected. But her name on one, why her's? She didn't live in the house…
How did that top just start whirring on its own? And the words on it… No-one can sneak up on me… I can tell when your coming… What did that mean? Was the Nearoscope alive, could it know things? And who were Jay-To and Lenny? With a sinking feeling in her gut, Joan thought she knew: Jacop's friends, wizard friends, the ones he didn't have to pretend around. His real friends.
Dear Jacop,
I saw your room when I gave you the last letter. It's kinda messy and some
things in it I think are dangerous, but IT. IS. AWESOME! I see why you had
to keep it a secret, though. There's a lot of magic in there! The posters are
kinda creepy, y'know? They were staring at me. How the heck did you get
them to move, though?! You didn't seem to have a book on that, did you
buy them somewhere (where? No shops sell moving posters that I know of)? Also, your teapot might be malfuntining malfunctioning.
How are things going? The Petunie's are OK now, I saw them playing with cards outside today. Kyler is trying to learn to make a house of cards!
The next Friday, Joan waited until dinner, then creeped through the window for the second time. The scene still surprised her, but did not shock her as seeing it for the first time did. Joan made her way to the desk, and started reading the next spells in The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1. She moved her hand as if holding an invisible wand. Swish and flick… Swish and flick… Wingardium Leviosa… Joan imagined the essay on the long, torn paper floating, flying… If only she was a wizard, she could deliver her letters by flight.
Joan had to remind herself that she did not come in here to read. She put her letter at the top of the book labeled The Monster Book of Monsters, only to have it awaken and promptly eat the paper. Unnoticing, Joan looked around for the old one to see if it had been taken, but it was not in The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1 anymore, and soon she had more pressing things to worry about.
The "book" had now jumped onto Joan's t-shirt, and was eating it until it quickly decided that Joan's brownish-black hair was a tastier target. It swung on Joan's dreads, seemingly enjoying itself as it made its way around her head. The Nearoscope lit up and started whirring, and the monster book seemed to bite on tighter and tighter as she pulled in different ways. The book and top were making a lot of noise, but she could hear over the noise the sound of Jacop and Susan arguing.
"I'm doing it, I'm almost done, why do you need to see?"
"And the Care of Magi-"
"I just told you, I'm dropping that class this year!"
"You can't!"
"It's an elective, I am a-"
"I won't let you, Care of-"
"It's not up to you!"
Joan took advantage of the pause to slip out the window, book still holding onto her hair, and close it. She hoped that Jacop would not realize his book was gone, but thought bitterly that a book that temperamental was unlikely to be missed. She closed the window as the door creaked open, and stayed as she attempted to wrestle the book from her hair, quickly losing patience.
"You didn't even start!"
"I'm dropping the class, that's why!"
"But why?"
"It's a hard class, I can't keep up with the work!" His voice had dropped, and Joan could barely hear him through the window and over the book, which was still stubbornly attached to Joan's hair.
"Jacop, I know when I'm being lied to. Especially when the class is given minimal homework and Professor Kettleburn says your 'a good student who takes their quick-thinking and knowledge of charms to class.' You got wonderful grades, you were proud of them! Tell me what's really going on, please."
"I-I can't, you wouldn't… no, you would, but… your going to freak out-"
"I'm not going to, if you-"
"You would if you knew." Jacop seemed to be waiting to make sure that his mother was listening, and his tone was uncharacteristically fierce. Joan had to profess that she was sick of Jacop arguing so fiercely with his mother; it seemed the one person he was not patient and supportive of was Susan. She finally wrestled the book from her hair, but stayed
Jacop sighed. "Look, I'm sorry, I- this is something for me to work out, OK? Can you stay out of it? Please? I know you want to help… You know how I feel about your solution." Joan was taken aback. Jacop had suddenly dropped all hostility in his tone and he even seemed… sad. Then Joan realized there must have been an understanding of a previously discussed topic.
"I still think you shouldn't drop Care of Magical Creatures. It'll work out, and you really can care for them." Joan guessed that her eyes moves to Fluffers.
"Wait, where did… Hey Mom, have you seen where The Monster Book of Monsters went?"
"No… why? You don't need the book for Care of Magical Creatures, I'm sure it's just run off, it will turn up again…"
"I don't, but I put a sleeping charm on that book and Frederic is taking care of Fluffers for his Care of Magical Creatures Essay this week-"
"Jacop, does that mean…? Are you sure you did the enchantment right?" Susan's voice was fearful, almost panicked, in contrast to Jacop's no-nonsense tone. Joan made no sound to express her nervousness; she was sitting on the book in question, wondering how she was going to get up without having the book run wild.
"Mr. G did the protective enchantments, there's no way he could have apparated in here, but that enchantment always worked before and at Hogwarts, someone was definitely here. I doubt the Greepin's or Petunie's would just let a Death Eater in through the door, though…"
Susan and Jacop spoke at the same time. "Homenum Revelio!"
"Whoever was here isn't anymore. We're safe."
"Jacop, are you sure? If something happened to you once I left-"
"You saw the spell, we're the only ones here. Frederic probably came here to ask about Fluffers or something, I'll go over to the Petunie's to check on him." Joan breathed a sigh of relief.
"I have to go soon to help Ms. P, 'kay?"
"Okay, when will you be back?"
"No sooner than 8, contact by Floo powder if I'm not back by 12. Password's 'Purple Howler,' remember, don't let anyone through the door without it." There was a tense silence.
"I'm telling the others before I go. Good night, sweetheart!"
"Good night, Mom. I'll go to bed in a bit."
